Unraveled by Indignities
by Louddragon
Summary: The sequel to Unraveled by Love. This story will dive into where we left off and uncover the future of our beloved superheroes. Secrets will be revealed and the biggest crime of all time will be committed by the most trusted people. More relationships will be established, and the largest mystery will be solved: Will Raven come back? Story contains intense romance, and emotion.
1. Sabot Bey

A/N: Welcome everybody! I'm back, and better than ever! SO this is the much awaited and anticipated sequel, I really hope you like it. Sorry it took so long to publish.

PLEASE DO NOT READ THIS IF YOUR HAVEN'T READ UNRAVELED BY LOVE! SERIOUSLY!

Recap: So far the Titans have gone to a ball on which BB and Rae had a romantic dance together. Bee and Cyborg's relationship reached its max at the Slumber Party. Bee is pregnant. Starfire and Robin had a rocky relationship which ended sadly due to his stubbornness and fear. (That will be explored in this story). Jinx and Kid Flash have rekindled their lost romance that was destroyed by the Cimbacks. (The galactic warriors that tore them apart). Jinx was captured and Flash had a panic attack. Clones were reproduced and Jinx was practically beaten to a pulp while in the Cimback's custody. They are also the ones who changed her into what she was, Jinx watched her parents die. *tears. The Titans saved them but Raven died along the way sacrificing herself for the Team. Beast Boy also died but Raven brought him back. (Really Arella did). Once they returned to their beloved City it was destroyed by Slade. (Scavenge and shop reciprocally chapter). They took over the Marriott hotel and thought of strategy plans. Slicer appeared which shocked the hell out of the Titans. He told them that Slade was no longer concerned about the Titans but his own safety. Raven started getting the Marks of Trigon like crazy! This was a sign that Arella would be returning because Beast Boy gave her his ability that Raven gave HIM to return to life. Beast Boy runs away after the Titans discuss an idea that involves Raven momentarily sacrificing herself. She runs after him and comforts him (I love you moment) and they do it (yes, sex). The Titans run after them and a battle ensues in which Slade DEMANDS Raven. Raven and Beast Boy appear and save the day. Raven severely injures Slade (almost killing him). More battling ensues because Arella and her Shadow creatures appear, Raven realizes that they won't survive the fight and she sacrifices herself. Arella and her cook up a deal that includes Raven being cast off to a dimension instead of dying for good. Raven says her goodbyes to her family and Beast Boy (very emotional). She steps through the portal and vanished for good. When she steps out of the portal she's in the Logan's final resting place. This means she's dead. Arella lied, again. The Titans fix up the City and Robin makes a speech. He admits that he's leaving the Titans. Which he does while in the process of breaking Starfire's heart, Robin is so stupid at times. Beast Boy makes a speech dedicated to Raven, and her memorial. When it's unveiled his heart breaks even more. He turns into some passing birds and flies away. The Titans search EVERYWHERE for him but he's not found. BB meets with a sorceress names Raina, she's gonna help him revive Raven. (Or is she?). Did I miss anything? OH, Bee had twins! Enjoy…

* * *

Gotham was never sunny. The clouds usually swirled by contemptuously, and cautiously. The sun rarely ever peeked through them, and if it did it was so momentary most citizens didn't even see it. The sun brings joy, it brings happiness. Without it happiness will lack. That was Richard's explanation as to why there was so much crime here. The City roared with angst, anger, and idiosyncrasy at night. Even during some parts of the evening gangs would run rampant through the City, having no fear of the great and powerful Batman. As soon as Dick arrived in Gotham he had to suit up and fight side by side with Batman again. He barely had time to relax, and reclaim his old room. He tired quickly on the missions and when they started to slow down he thankfully took his breaks. These outlets on which he stole himself Dick resumed his old role of Richard Grayson. To make his presence known he would go to the market place or the movies with Babs. Nonetheless the tabloids ate it up, stories of their romantic endeavors ensued. The tabloids in Gotham were just as common as the gangs, they were everywhere.

His mornings would consist of combat training with Bruce, followed by a routine check of the City or a mission. Afterwards he would meet up with Babs and resume his alias of Richard Grayson. He was quite content with his new life but his old one haunted him. Every mission, and every second of his training he would be reminded of the Titans. That would make him think about his former Teammates death and Starfire's anger. He started making subtle changes to his appearance, like allowing his hair to grow longer; it was shaggy now instead of spiky. He also began to develop his adult body, his broad shoulders enhanced, and his abdomen bulged. To make the change even more drastic he began a project with Bruce. This project consisted of long drawn out nights planning and plotting the design of his new costume. New weapons had to be assembled, each with a new emblem. He was going to become Nightwing. It was originally Starfire's idea after she had been thrown into the future many years ago, but Batman added a twist. The emblem would be a blue falcon, and embezzled on his chest.

Robin hung up his old traffic light costume and sighed. This was going to be hard for him, but it was the new start he had been planning and hoping for. He secretly hoped it would remove some of the pain he still held very close to his heart. A knock sounded from his door and he crossed his large bedroom to answer it.

In front of him stood an elderly man with white hair and a smug look on his face. He was holding a silver tray underneath his armpit and his other hand was crossed tightly across his lower back behind himself. His white gloves and suit looked tailored and clean, not a blemish appeared on the man's face besides a couple of wrinkles. Robin smirked. "Hey Alfred." He said casually.

Alfred nodded his head. "Miss Barbara seeks your attention immediately." He said in his British accent.

Robin rubbed a hand over his face. "Can it wait? I wanted some time to relax." He added in his whining voice.

Alfred raised an eyebrow. "Do you think it is wise to keep Miss Barbara waiting, Master Dick?"

Robin chuckled. "Okay, tell her I'll be down stairs in a minute."

Alfred pivoted on his heel. "Very well."

The door shut with a definitive click and Robin chuckled again. He walked across his large room and opened his dresser drawers. He grabbed a black sweater that complimented his gray jeans and shrugged it on. His room was large and gray. His shaggy white carpeting added to the cold effect it had. His bed wielded a black comforter with one red stripe down the middle. His bed side lamp was red and attached to it was a picture of the Titans. He usually mentally scolded himself for keeping it around, knowing well that his subconscious mind wanted to rid the memory of the pain. But in his heart he knew he didn't have enough courage to throw it away. Having it there is a reminder that all of those things happened. It let him know that his time wasn't wasted, that he had made a difference somewhere, somehow. Even if the difference was inappropriately balanced between negative and positive. He jogged towards the door; he didn't want to spiral into his feelings at this moment. He rushed down the stairs of the large manor and ran right into Babs.

She smacked him on the head playfully. "Didn't I send Alfred for you five minutes ago?"

He playfully shoved her back. "Yes, but I wasn't ready."

"Wasn't ready? Are you ever?" She added playfully. She grabbed his hand and began running down the large hallway to the elevator door. "Hurry up, Bats is waiting on us."

"Bruce is waiting? Why didn't you tell me?" He asked frantically.

She made a face at him as she entered the golden elevator. "I could punch you right now."

He shrugged and entered the key needed to reach the Batcave. The elevator lurched and he shoved his hands in his pockets. "Why does Bruce need to see me?"

Babs shrugged and crossed her arms. "He wouldn't tell me, he said 'bring me Richard' and I did." She smirked at him. "You're probably in trouble."

His eyes widened behind his daytime mask. "Why would I be in trouble? I haven't done anything yet."

She raised an eyebrow. "Yesterday night on patrol, you dented the Bat Mobile."

He smacked his forehead. "I didn't know anyone would notice, how did you even see me?" He asked incredulously.

She leaned forward slightly. "I notice everything."

They both began to chuckle and the elevator doors opened up to the Batcave. It was big and wide, and dark. Cold air immediately brushed them; and they stepped out of the golden elevator and proceeded with caution towards Bruce's work area farther into the cave. When they reached their point Batman himself stood waiting with his arms crossed. He regarded his two protégés with caution before starting. "I told you to be here ten minutes ago." He ruffed.

Richard crossed his arms and pouted. "I know." He grumbled.

Babs sighed. "His fault not mine."

Richard sent her a glare and she smiled cheekily at him.

Batman removed his mask. "Do you know what you're here for?"

They both shook their heads.

Bruce sighed and started walking. They followed behind him to the next section of the immense Batcave. When they entered Bruce pointed across the room to where all costumes in his possession stood hanging in their individual tubes. Babs and Dick followed his gaze and their mouths dropped. In the two newest tubes were brand new suits. One had the Nightwing symbol and the other had the Batman symbol. The Nightwing costume was fully equipped with all of Robin's usual materials plus a few extra ones. The Batman costume wasn't for a man but for a woman. It was all spandex with a matching mask and boots. Babs squealed and ran towards the tube followed by Dick. They examined the costumed manikins and pressed the button to release the tube around the costume. Dick looked back at Batman. "It's finished? You finished it?"

Batman nodded. "Yes, I felt like you needed a break so I decided on finishing for you. Project Nightwing is completed, now it's time to make an appearance." He cleared his throat.

Babs picked up the mask and jumped up and down. "I've been asking for a spandex costume for months!"

Bruce shrugged. "Commissioner Gordon told me to make it."

She laughed. "I thought you didn't like taking orders." She teased.

Bruce huffed. "I don't but he wouldn't stop pestering me."

The group chuckled. Bruce checked his watch that was built into his suit. "Suit up and meet me in the control room."

They nodded and began to undress. Dick ran his fingers across the bullet proof costume, admiring the stitching. He shrugged off his clothes and put on his suit. It felt perfect. Dick checked his inventory, noticing that he had double the amount of fighting sticks he usually had. Babs tapped him on the shoulder. He snapped out of his reverie and regarded her. Her costume was on; the spandex hugged each one of her curves, accentuating them.

She noticed him staring and smacked him playfully. "Take a picture it'll last longer." She sniped.

He tore his eyes away. "What weapons do you have?" He asked as they began walking to the control room.

"A titanium whip with a matching fighting stick. I also have bottles of smoke bombs and acid grenades." She reached behind herself. "OH and handcuffs."

Nightwing smiled. "Kinky." He murmured.

She laughed. "Shut up." Her laughter subsided. "Are you excited for your Nightwing appearance?"

He nodded excitedly, erecting giggles from Babs. She stopped him suddenly. "Your hair." She said quietly.

"What about it?" he remarked.

"You don't look like Nightwing. You look like Richard Grayson." Babs crossed her arms and regarded him.

He shrugged. "Do you think the press will really notice?"

"Um, YES." She reached up to him, standing on her tip toes as she did so. She ruffled his hair and attempted to spike it. His black hair waywardly swished to the side and stood up. No longer shaggy. Her face was centimeters from his, her breath tickled his nose. Her lips were so close to his, and he blearily leaned forward. She stopped messing with his hair and placed her hands on his shoulders.

She looked into his mask, and for the first time she wondered if she was allowed to remove it. Her gaze flickered to his lips and she also leaned forward. Her eyes shut halfway and she braced for what was about to happen. Disappointedly he withdrew extremely fast, her arms falling to her sides. He began walking again; the control room loomed up before him. She sighed sadly and adjusted her mask.

Batman looked at them as soon as they walked into they walked in. "Robbery on South Main Street. One officer down, police are in search of the man. He's on foot." He tossed them earpieces. "Time to make your appearance Nightwing." He flicked on a switch on the control panel board and the screen lit up with cameras. "There's a shooting on 23rd Street, I'll be there if you need me." He grunted and ran out of the Batcave.

"Batgirl, be my shadow." Nightwing said sternly.

"Always." She responded just as sternly.

They exited the Batcave speedily. The night air hit their faces and they both flicked on their earpieces. Nightwing took to the rooftops, Batgirl following closely behind. They made it to South Main Street in record time; they crouched on the nearest building and looked down to the bank surrounded by officers. Nightwing looked towards Batgirl. "Get down there and get me info, you know how to reach me." He pointed to his earpiece.

She nodded. "Head down the Street and see if you can get a visual on the guy."

Nightwing smirked. "You read my mind." He vanished and Babs scaled the building, landing lithely on her feet. Nightwing jumped across each building, peering into alleyways as he did so. So far he didn't see any sign of the crook. His earpiece buzzed and Bab's voice echoed into his ears.

"_Chief says he's dressed in all black. The bag of money he's holding is a black duffel; he's wearing a white ski mask and he runs with a limp." _

"_Got it. Thanks." _

Nightwing picked up his speed and spotted a figure moving slowly across the street. His shoulders were hunched and he was carrying a black duffel. Nightwing watched as the villain luridly crept into an alley. Nightwing resisted the urge to chuckle. This guy was definitely not thinking straight. He made his way to the nearest building and dropped down behind the guy. He started and slowly turned around.

Nightwing crossed his arms. "You must be a new type of stupid."

"Why do you say that?" the guy asked shakily.

"This is obviously Gotham, stealing from a bank definitely gets you arrested or beaten to a pulp buy Batman." Nightwing answered.

The man regarded Nightwing wearily. "Who are you? Some Batman wannabe?"

Nightwing chuckled silently. "No, I'm Nightwing, your worst nightmare."

A scream echoed in the City air and Nightwing's voice clattered into Batgirl's ear. _"I've subdued him in an alleyway next to the yoga store near 1__st__ Street." _

Batgirl alerted the authorities. _"I hope you went easy on him, he only took a couple thousand dollars." _

"_He might need an arm replacement, but other than that he should be fine." _

Babs laughed openly. _"Bats is not going to like that." _

A crackling interrupted the line. _"No I don't like it." _Bruce said.

Batgirl's heart quickened. _"I thought this line was only for me and Nightwing." _

"_I decided to link them all together. And don't call me Bats." _Bruce said angrily.

Babs sputtered then silenced.

Nightwing brushed himself off and put away his twin fighting sticks. He didn't need them for that fight but he wanted the first appearance of Nightwing to be taken seriously. He scaled a building and sat down.

"_Nightwing, where are you?" _Babs asked.

"_On top of the yoga building. The police have already arrived." _He answered.

Batgirl smiled as she watched the last police cruiser glide away into the evening. _"Race you to 25__th__ Street, our usual building?" _

Nightwing smiled. _"You're on." _

Batman heard this and scolded them but they ignored him. Nightwing took off into the City, jumping over alleys and entire buildings with exquisite precision. He scaled traffic lights and billboards, he could taste the victory. He couldn't wait to tease Babs with his triumph. The building loomed up towards him and he made his final landing, surging slightly to catch his balance.

"What took you so long?" A familiar voice said behind him.

He turned and spotted Batgirl standing casually on the opposite end of the building. He stormed towards her. "How?" He shouted.

She laughed and poked him in the chest. "I've always been faster."

It was Nightwing's turn to laugh. "That's a funny joke."

She scoffed at him and he poked her side. She noticed a play battle about to ensue so she took a fighting stance. She beckoned him with her hands and he smirked. They blocked each other's sharp jabs, and she kicked him in the abdomen, sending him to the other side of the building. She ran after him but he returned her kick with much more force, sending her in another direction. They ran towards each other and jabbed quickly. Babs connected with his neck and upper arms. She gave him quite a punch to the chest, his blocks becoming slower with weary. He swung out his leg, tripping her and she pulled him down with her. Their foreheads smacked into each other and they both collapsed in exhaustion. Babs laughed again, it echoed in the night air followed by Dick's laughter. They lay next to each other for a moment and Batgirl propped herself up on her elbow. "So does this mean I won?"

He reached out and pulled her elbow out from under her. She fell onto his chest. "Not a chance." Her red curly hair pooled around her face, accentuating the curve of her cheek bones and strong chin. She bit her lip and stared at his. Their faces moved closer to each other until she could feel his breath on her lips. It was warm and cast a shadow in the nighttime air. It made her shiver. She closed her eyes and took a chance, she moved slightly forward. A faint bloodcurdling scream reverberated into the air and they both jerked to their senses.

Nightwing stood up. "Batgirl, shadow me?"

"Always." She said and they raced towards the direction in which they heard the shout.

Batman's voice crackled into their ears. _"Police are heading towards 48__th__ Street. Be there before them, or else." _

Batgirl looked over to Nightwing. "Did that sound like a threat?"

He shrugged and took out his grappling hook. He grabbed Batgirl and quickly shot towards the roof of the nearest skyscraper. They swung towards 35th Street. His hand grasped onto Babs tightly and she tightened her arms around him. Her body meshed unevenly into his side, and he begged himself to try not to notice her figure. When they reached 40th Street he readjusted his grappling hook and they landed on another building in a crouch. They ran side by side, leaping in synchronicity and grace, almost like a dance. When 48th Street came into view they landed and whipped out their weapons. The looked around and noticed no signs of trouble.

"_Batman, there's no sign of trouble here." _Nightwing said into his earpiece.

"_Look around then, I won't be there for another five minutes, there's a jewelry store robbery on Fifth Avenue." _He answered agitatedly.

Nightwing looked towards Babs. "I'll check the alleys; you scout the area from a building."

She nodded and scaled a building.

Nightwing walked cautiously from alley entrance to alley entrance. He gripped his staff tightly and pulled another from his belt. It unfolded with a snap. This would double the speed of his attack, and help him block better. He had a small feeling that he would not be fighting tonight, but just for caution sake he still stayed in fighting position. As he rounded the last alley at the end of 48th Street he noticed a lump sitting in the middle of it. He cautiously walked towards it, the further in he went the darker it became. As he approached the lump he realized that it wasn't a lump at all. It was a person. Disgusted he retracted one of his bow staffs and put it in his belt. He pulled out a tiny flashlight and clicked it on.

Bile rose in his throat. A twisted mangled figure lay in front of him. A man no younger than 20 was sprawled in a horrible position. His legs were twisted, and his arms were broken, bones stuck out in various fashions. The man's throat was slit open to the fullest, exposing cords of veins and arteries. Blood was flowing slowly out of his neck. His wrists were also slit, blood pooled around the man. It glistened, untouched. His eyes were open, his blue irises staring at something in horror. Nightwing reached down to shut the eyelids. _"Babs get over here quick. I'm at the end of 48__th__ Street." _He sighed heavily and continued to stare at the dead man.

"_I'm on my way." _She replied. When she arrived her face twisted in horror. "I've been doing this awhile, but I've never seen so much blood." She covered her mouth.

Nightwing nodded. "Whoever was trying to kill him really must've hated him."

Batgirl lifted her hand and pointed at the brick wall in front of her. Her eyes widened and her breath hitched. "Look." She whispered.

Nightwing raised the flashlight slowly. On the brick wall shined more blood, but this time it spelt out letters, and words. The handwriting was terrible and some of the blood was dripping but it was still legible. "Number 1-Sabot Bey" Nightwing read. "What the hell does that mean?"

Sirens rang out; blue and red lights flashed voluminously against the brick walls of the alley. Dozens of police cars showed up. They ambled out of their vehicles slowly. Batgirl walked to greet them. "A dead man was found in an alley, call the ambulance." She said purposefully.

The police officer nodded and looked behind her. "Who is that?"

"We don't know his name, we just found him here." Batgirl said.

The police officers gathered around. "Not the dead guy, HIM." They gestured the man in a black uniform and mask, his blue emblem on his chest glowed.

He stepped out of the darkness. "I'm Nightwing." He said courageously.

"Where's Robin?" One of the officers shouted.

"I no longer go by that name." He said silently.

The officers nodded and started talking rapidly into their phones and walkie talkies. Within minutes more police arrived along with an ambulance. The police collected any evidence they could, and they scraped the walls for DNA. Batman arrived silently and briskly, startling a couple of officers.

Batman beckoned Batgirl and Nightwing. "What happened?" He mumbled.

"It looks like murder, there was a message." Nightwing said.

"What did it say?" Batman asked.

"Number 1-Sabot Bey." Batgirl added.

Batman frowned.

"What is it, who is it?" Nightwing asked frantically.

Batman didn't say anything.

Batgirl sighed. "It might be Joker; he got out of Prison a month ago. I'm pretty sure he's up to his antics now."

Batman shook his head. "Joker wouldn't leave a message like that. He would also make an appearance."

Babs shrugged. "Maybe he's changed?"

Batman regarded her tiredly. "Maybe." He grunted and turned on his heel. Paparazzi started to arrive and managed to snap a couple pictures of him before he disappeared into the night.

Nightwing and Batgirl were swarmed immediately and attempted to make a quick escape into the night. They successfully made it back to Wayne manor in one piece. They quickly shed their uniforms in the Batcave. Richard made his way to the super computer and began clacking away on keys. Babs walked up beside him. "Ew, don't you want to get a shower first?" She asked smarmily.

He stopped typing and looked at her. "NOPE!" He smiled and she ruffled his windblown hair.

"I'm going to bed; Bruce is probably going to give us extra training tomorrow." She sighed.

"You staying here the night?" He asked curiously.

"Yeah, you're welcome to come say goodnight." She stretched her arms and headed out of the Batcave.

Richard watched her go. He felt conflicted, but he didn't know why. He turned his attention back to the computer screen. He typed in 'Sabot Bey' on three different search engines and none of them worked. The search results all said the same thing, 'Sorry we couldn't understand your inquiry, please check your spelling!' Richard banged his fists on the table.

"Anything?" Said a familiar voice from behind him.

He jumped up and turned around. Alfred regarded him with cautious and curious eyes. He was swaddled in a fluffy blue robe with matching slippers. Richard tried to hold in his chuckle, he didn't know that Alfred still dressed that way at night. "You scared me." He said slowly.

Alfred smiled. "Master Bruce used to say the same thing, until he developed super hearing."

Richard smiled back at him. "It'll be awhile until I can do half the things he does."

"Hopefully not too long." The elder carefully placed his hands in his pockets.

"Did Babs tell you what happened today?"

His eyebrow lifted. "Yes, she did. But that is not why I sought you."

Dick rubbed hand over his face. "I hope this is not about the dent in the car."

Alfred's face twisted into a scowl. "You dented the car? Do you know how long it takes to wax the Bat mobile?" He stopped himself and took a breath. "Sorry Master Dick. I will scold you later. This is not about the car or the incident today."

Richard stretched his back and began walking towards the elevator. Alfred followed behind. "What is this about then?" He asked while yawning.

Alfred cleared his throat. "This is about your former Team attempting to contact you. I have received yet another message from them today. I cannot keep telling them lies about you being with Batman."

Richard stepped into the elevator, he kept his head down. He didn't want Alfred to see the pain in his eyes.

"Why must you avoid them?" Alfred asked silently.

"I'm not trying to, I just can't talk to them after how I left." He mumbled.

"I thought Bruce would've taught you better." Alfred said as the elevator doors pinged open.

Richard's head snapped up and he followed Alfred into the hallway. "What's that supposed to mean?"

Alfred sighed and wringed his hands together. "It means that I thought he would've taught you the trials of courage and humility. I thought he taught you about being a man."

Richard's face turned red in anger. He knew Alfred was right, but he didn't want to admit it. "What do you know anyway? You're just the butler." He huffed and turned on his heel. He stomped up the stairs like an angry teenager and descended upon his room.

Alfred hung his head. "Yes, I am just the butler. But I know enough." He shoved his hands into his pockets and resided to his bedroom for the night.

* * *

There it is! The beginning of a mind blowing story! I hope you liked it! I know there isn't much adventure and romance and action yet. BUT there will be. IT WILL GET GOOD! Bear with me.

PLEASE FOLLOW, FAVORITE, AND **REVIEW! 11 reviews for the next chapter. **

Next Chapter: Why is Nightwing avoiding the Titans' calls? Why the hell is he being so mean to Alfred? Will he apologize? What is going on with him and Babs? What's going on with the Titans? WHERE'S BB? You'll find out in the next chapter!

P.S. The 10th person to review this story will get a preview of Teen Titanic! Thanks!


	2. Things Change

To Kirie: Good! Thank you, I'm glad you like it!

To Guest again: Thank you for reviewing, this story might start out confusing, but it will make sense soon enough!

To Guest: Thank you! I'm glad you'll be following this story, thank you for reviewing!

To Nibs98: Thank you! I love comments like yours! You made my day, I'm very happy that my first story caught your attention. You have brought warmth to my heart. Lots of love for you my friend.

A/N: So many of you have requested some BB and Rae (Guest again) so I'll try my best to add some, but remember she's dead. It's kinda hard to do. Also many of you have concerns regarding the Babs and Richard thing, TRUST ME WHEN I SAY THIS: There will be NO Babs and Richard; just a lot of Strife because of it. The story line will become apparent and more comprehensible as the story goes on. Remember that Robin moved to Gotham, he's made his transition into Nightwing. The Titans are only consisted of Cyborg, Bee, Jinx, and Kid flash now. So we'll just have to wait and see how this all turns out. Thank you all for reviewing! If you haven't followed please do it soon! I want the sequel to be more successful than the first. Enjoy this chapter to the fullest, I love you all. Enjoy…

* * *

_Purple hair clouded his vision and he felt soft skin caress his chest. Tiny hands touched his face, and a familiar scent wafted through his nose. He cracked open his eyes and to his surprise purple eyes met his green ones. "Hey." She said in her monotonous voice. _

_He tried to speak but couldn't so he kissed her eyes one at a time and eventually met her lips. They departed for air and Beast Boy looked around at his surroundings. They were sitting on clouds, purple ones. The sky was dark, but there was enough light out so he could see her face. "How?" He whispered softly. _

_She kissed his cheek softly, and her scent wafted through him again, this time blurring his vision. Raven's sweet gaze regarded him lovingly. "Wake up." _

_He shook his head realizing what this was. "No." He said sternly, trying to hold onto the last piece of her he had. Beast Boy could feel his brain trying to wrap around this dream, it wasn't working. _

_Her image blurred and disappeared. "Wake up." She whispered. _

"_NO!" He felt his head spiral and he fell out of the clouds and plummeted to the Earth. _

* * *

He woke with a jolt, sending a pillow flying into a wall. Sweat was coated evenly along his green skin, his back was sticking to his T-Shirt, and he panted heavily as he crawled away from the bed. He recalled his dream and unleashed a violent chain of curse words. This was happening more frequently, and it was really starting to bug the hell out of him. The door suddenly creaked open revealing the person he spent the last couple weeks with, Raina Chadwick. She was wearing a silk red robe, her tan skin added to her sultry effect and her red lipstick glistened in the hallway light. She walked over to him and looked at his sweaty shirt. Her eyebrows knitted together. "I sensed nightmares."

He nodded; slightly annoyed that she sensed anything. Since they shook hands in that café they've been partners in crime. Beast Boy couldn't shake her no matter how hard he tried. "I'm fine."

"Lie." She said with a smirk. She reached down for his hand and gave it a squeeze. "You haven't been sleeping well, let me help you." She raised his hand to her chest, giving it another firm squeeze.

He snatched it away from her. "I don't want any of your evil spells coursing through my veins, now leave me alone." He growled.

She frowned. "I'm not evil." She sighed. "I don't know why you keep saying that." She looked away. "If only you knew my story."

He rubbed a hand over his scruffy face. "I honestly don't give a shit about your story. All I want is Raven back, either you help me or not. We're not friends, we're associates." His voice was pained and tense.

Raina's face hardened and her old demeanor returned. "Fine, but I would watch your tone if I were you." She snapped, keeping her voice even.

"Why?" He said quietly.

She waggled her fingers at him. "I can rip out your spine with a snap of my fingers." She walked towards him and grabbed his face in her hands. He looked tired and worried. "Don't double cross me, and watch your mouth." She said with an acidic tone.

He grunted and tore his eyes away from hers. She let go of his face with a huff. Beast Boy knew that he should probably try and make a friendly connection to this bewitched sorceress, but he couldn't. Something was stopping him from being amenable, and genteel. He wondered often if it was his instinct or if it was Raven on the other side. Every time he thought about Raven on the other side, trapped in a dimension, it angered him. Beast Boy usually came to the conclusion that she was trying to communicate with him from the other side, but the idea seemed so farfetched, it was hard for his own mind to comprehend. Forgetting where he was he silently stared off into space.

Raina sighed. Moments like this when he would stare off into space she wondered if he even had his own charisma left. It was like his mind was filled with her, almost infatuated. Raina came to the conclusion in her own mind that Beast Boy had Raven cancer. She knew how weird that sounded, and how cumbersomely rudimentary it seemed but what else would he have? Why couldn't he let this girl go? She had agreed to help him revive her, but she knew what her final decision would be. She had to carry on the plan, just this once she had to do what she was told. Raina gritted her teeth and crossed her arms. "Get to bed; we have a long day tomorrow. We're going to begin the fear." Raina snapped her mouth shut, gave him one last look and turned on her heel to leave the room. As she left she heard one last sob come from the room's crevices. How many more tears would be shed over this girl? Would he shed more after he finds out what being feared entails? Will he ever forgive Raina? Only time will tell.

* * *

Richard reached over and slammed his fist into the alarm clock. He hated the repetitive buzzing sound it made, even if the volume was on low. His eyes rasped open and he yawned. Richard looked around his dull open room; it felt colder than it was the night before. Something was missing, something vital. A name ticked off in the back of his mind but he shook his head to clear away the image. His new motto was to take steps forward in his shadowing of the past. No more looking back. He reached over to his bedside table and wrapped his fingers around his usual mask. Richard slipped it on carefully, adjusting it evenly just in case the press happened to get a good angle of him. Before he could jump out of bed and prepare for the day a rapid banging came from his door. Richard slithered out of bed and answered it groggily. He opened the door and was immediately punched in the face. He felt his lip split open and his cheek skin harden. A single tear slipped out of his eye and he landed on his side. Usually Richard could block any punch coming his way, but since he was still groggy it was hard to keep his precision at top speeds. He opened his eyes and braced for another attack but none came. Instead he spotted a red high heel pump and long legs.

"Good morning Dick." Babs sneered.

Richard jumped to his feet and bawled up his fists. "Babs what the hell? Training didn't start yet!" He shouted and wiped the small trickle of blood coming from his lip.

Babs frowned at him and shook her hand out. "Your name really fits your personality."

"What are you talking about?" He asked as he sauntered back into his room. He shrugged off his shirt and threw it on the floor. He opened his dresser and yanked out a fresh one.

"You know exactly what I'm talking about." She said in a sharp tone.

He looked at her. "No I don't, please elaborate."

She sighed angrily, cocking her hip to the side. "What the hell did you say to Alfred last night?" She asked furiously.

Dick stopped what he was doing. His mouth dropped open as he recalled his discussion from the elevator last night. What he said was wrong, disrespectful, and most of all hurtful. Alfred has done nothing but love Dick unconditionally since he was a little boy. He would bandage all the cuts and scrapes he received in training, he would literally cut the crusts off his sandwiches for him. Alfred was like a grandfather to him. Dick suddenly felt stupid and selfish. His shoulders slumped. "Oh." Was all he managed to say.

"Oh is right." Babs said as she turned out of the room. Her red mini skirt and pink blazer was all he saw of her as she left the room. Babs held high respect for Alfred, as they all did, but she understood him to a level that Richard and Bruce never would. Babs bonded with Alfred often, helping him with the garden in her spare times. It was hard not to like him.

Richard threw on some black jeans and brushed through his hair extremely fast. He jogged out of his room and sprinted through the hallway of Wayne manor to the kitchen. Babs was sitting in a barstool holding a mug. She raised her eyebrows at Richard as he walked in. Alfred had his back turned as he scrubbed dishes that were in the sink. The water turned off with a click and Alfred dried his hands. He grabbed his silver tray and attempted to leave the room without looking Richard in the eye.

Dick sighed decidedly. "Alfred, can we talk?"

Alfred regarded Richard with tired eyes. "Yes Master _Dick_?" He asked adding more pronunciation to his name.

Richard looked uncomfortably at Babs, who was smiling widely at their exchange. "Can we talk alone?" He asked quietly.

Alfred smirked. "Whatever you have to say you can say it in front of Miss Barbara." He adjusted his tray so it rested contentedly under his armpit.

Dick bowed his head. "I want to apologize for the way I acted. I never meant any of what I said, and I shouldn't have been taking out my pain on you."

A hand patted Dick on the shoulder. Alfred looked into the Richards' mask. "Explain to me why you feel the pain."

Dick sucked in a breath. "I don't know. I thought it would go away once I moved back here, but it's not gone." His chest felt achy. "What can make you accept my apology?"

"A trip to Jump City to see what your Team wants, they have not stopped trying to contact you." Alfred removed his hand. "I'll pack your bags."

Richard stuttered then thought the better of it. Babs clapped her hands together and approached him. "Well done." Her heels clacked on the linoleum kitchen floor.

Richard crossed his arms. "What's that supposed to mean?"

"You did well persuading Alfred that you meant the apology." She approached him, now standing closer than before.

"I did mean it, why would you say that? Alfred is like a grandfather to me." Dick felt anger rising in his chest.

Babs pressed a sharp red nail to his ribcage. "Don't ever let me hear about you being mean to Alfred, EVER AGAIN. Got it?" Her voice was menacing and her blue eyes sparkled in rage.

Richard nodded, slightly frightened by her. She removed her nail and he sighed reservedly. "I'm going to Jump City, are you going to be okay while I'm gone?" He asked attempting to lighten the mood.

"I might, depends on who the City needs more, Batgirl or Nightwing?" She smiled.

Dick smirked. "I better see some reports of Batgirl saving the City from an apocalypse in the papers by the time I get back."

She laughed. "You'll see more than that."

He turned to go but was halted by her strong grip on his upper arm. He turned around and before he knew it her arms were wrapped around him in a firm grip. She was hugging him. This confused him more and aroused his seclusions, though he still hugged her back. It was awkward, but pleasant, he didn't know exactly what to feel in those few tender moments. One thing he did know was that Babs didn't want to be just 'friends' anymore. Things were changing too fast for him, green eyes and outwardly orange skin suddenly popped into his mind and he pushed her away briskly. His eyes widened in fear like he did something wrong.

"What's wrong?" Babs asked, suddenly alarmed by his immediate change in demeanor.

Richard turned away quickly. "Nothing, be safe while I'm gone. Look after Alfred." He left the room quickly, taking long strides to get back to his room.

Babs frowned. "Have a safe trip." She whispered softly.

* * *

Dick took off that day in the Bat plane. He said goodbye to Alfred, and Bruce briskly. He was secretly glad Babs wasn't there to see him off; it would make things even more awkward. He knew it was just a hug, but he didn't want their relationship leading anywhere. Their relationship since he moved back to Gotham was medicinal in its ways. He would hang out with Barbara Gordon during the day and Batgirl at night. It really took his mind off a lot of things he wasn't ready to think about. He knew that when he returned to Gotham that things would have to resume as normal, but how was he going to explain to Babs that all he wanted was a normal and friendly relationship. He was beginning to question his overanalyzing of that hug when the auto pilot in the Bat plane switched to 'off'. He took the controls and located Titan tower. He was extremely nervous. He didn't know what state of mind Starfire would be in, and he didn't know if Beast boy had gotten any better since the horrific events of the last mission. He questioned his faith momentarily, wondering to himself if it was wise of him to cut off his connections to the Titans. They were after all his family; they were the ones that stuck by his side through everything. He felt sudden guilt that he wasn't answering their calls; he mentally thanked Alfred for doing this to him. Where would he be without Alfred?

Without warning the Titan tower loomed up before him. It glistened in the sun, and reflected the water that surrounded it. Richard had to admit that it looked completely different, almost beautiful. The sight was purely spectacular, it made the City look like something out of a fairytale. He landed on the helipad gently, shutting off the engine as he did so. The door opened and Nightwing stepped out. He looked around and a familiar face greeted him. Cyborg.

"When your butler sent a message, I thought you would be arriving within the two weeks, not the same day!" Cyborg chuckled and approached Nightwing with his arms wide.

Nightwing hugged Cyborg; Cyborg in return thumped him on the back. "Nice to see you Cy." Richard mumbled.

Cyborg grunted as he let him go. "Don't be such a stranger." He looked at Nightwing; his cybernetic eye zoomed in on his new logo. "Or should I say Nightwing; your picture has been in all the papers." They began to walk to the roof exit.

Dick smiled. "Yeah, I made the transition but was only spotted once. I don't know how they already have so many pictures of me." He awkwardly flicked at his suit.

Cyborg nodded. "A lot has changed since you left; I want you to be updated. That's why we've been trying to contact you. The Titans are changing and I want you to train them."

Nightwing scratched his head as he descended the staircase that led to the common room. "What are you talking about; Starfire and Beast Boy have already completed their training." He reached the common room and looked around its expansive interior. Things really did change, the walls were different and all the appliances were stainless steel and silver. The Tower looked more modern.

Cyborg stopped. "You don't know do you?" He asked quietly.

Richard felt confused; before he could ask what he meant something blurry passed his side. It was a quick flash of red. This confused Nightwing immensely so he did what Batman would do; take a fighting stance. As he prepared himself for another ostentatious moment of red Cyborg shouted something. Richard couldn't hear it but by the time he processed what it was the red thing zoomed by again. Nightwing shot out his fists, attempting to slow whatever it was down. Nightwing looked worriedly over at Cyborg, expecting to see his cannon charged and at the ready but it wasn't.

"Cyborg, what's going on?" He shouted.

Cyborg stood there with his head in his hands embarrassedly.

Nightwing eased his fighting stance and located the speeding red thing. This time it was circling around him at frightening speed, it closed in and Nightwing felt the air become thinner. Before he knew it he was on the ground gasping for air and holding his chest tightly. A blue light lit up and Nightwing blinked rapidly. Blue mechanical feet stepped in front of his face. Attached to them were long blue legs and body. He was holding a small kid in a white and red costume. Nightwing stood up quickly and whipped out his Bo Staff. Before he could start swinging Cyborg grabbed his shoulder and halted him.

"This is what I wanted to show you, Nightwing I introduce you to the new Teen Titans." He glared at the blue machine and the kid in the red and white spandex costume. Cyborg sighed.

The one that was circling Nightwing earlier smiled brightly and held out his hand. "I'm Kid Flash! Nice to meet you Nightwing. Sorry about wanting to kill you earlier, I wanted to see what you would do back." His voice was slightly raspy.

Richard looked at the blue mechanical creature with bug wings sprouting from his full body armor. "I'm Blue Beetle." He said as he raised his left hand to wave. "Sorry about the intro, Kid here doesn't know how to communicate properly." He patted Flash on his head. Flash's red hair bounced.

He batted away his hand. "I know how to communicate; I'll communicate your face!" He shouted and sprung a surprise attack on the taller blue character. They sprawled and fought a couple feet away.

Richard looked over at Cyborg nervously. "What's going on?" He asked.

Cyborg sighed. "Follow me." He turned to leave the common room.

They left the grueling boys behind and traveled down the fairly new refurbished hallways. Cyborg stopped in front of a door took out a key and unlocked it. He ushered Nightwing inside hurriedly. A light flicked on and Richard observed that it was a simple office, complete with a desk, computer and T.V. "What the hell is going on? I don't remember a Beetle man! Was Kid Flash put through a shrink ray? I don't remember him being so small." Nightwing hissed. His mind was whirring and he had no idea what was going on.

Cyborg frowned. "Maybe if you would've answered your damn calls you would've known about the new changes. Sit down." He said sternly. Cyborg walked around to his part of the desk and took a seat.

"Did you and Starfire hire help? I know Beast Boy didn't approve of this." Nightwing sighed.

Cyborg rubbed his face. "Stop talking and just listen for a moment." He snapped. Nightwing took a seat and leaned back in the chair. Cyborg took this as a cue to start. "Starfire's gone."

Nightwing's mask twitched slightly. "What?" He whispered, suddenly out of breath.

"She left to go back to Tameran, she's gone for good." Cyborg continued. His eyes flashed for a moment and he opened a drawer to his desk, he rummaged around for a few minutes and pulled out a white envelope. "She told me to give you this." He handed his former leader the letter.

Nightwing took the letter slowly, his hands trembled and he feared for the hurtful words that were probably inside. He tucked it away into his costume pocket. "What about everyone else?" He asked huskily.

Cyborg nodded. "Right after your speech Beast Boy made his memoriam speech for Raven and once I unveiled the statue, he lost it."

Nightwing leaned forward. "What do you mean?"

Cyborg broke Nightwing's gaze and stared at a spot on the desk. "He left."

Nightwing nodded. "I know he left it was in the papers, didn't he come back?"

Cyborg shook his head. "No, he never came back. We've sent our best searchers for him, we even hired private investigators, he just doesn't want to be found."

Cyborg sounded sad and for the first time since Nightwing arrived he felt sorry for him. He also felt guilty. He left Cyborg with no instruction manual and he had to form a team all by himself, that's tough. Especially when you don't have any prerequisite training for the job. "I'm sorry." Nightwing said.

"Yeah, I know. You never think before you do things. That's your weakness, just like oceans are mine and kryptonite is Superboy's." Cyborg added.

"Superboy?" Nightwing asked curiously.

"Yes, Superboy." He sighed. "So once you, Starfire, and Beast boy left all I had was Jinx and Kid Flash. Flash decided to take on the role of 'Flash', his mentor has retired. When Bee went into labor, I didn't have any time to be changing diapers full time, the Justice League has been breathing down my neck since the rebuild of Jump City. So, Jinx is currently taking a hiatus to aid Bee with the kids." He stopped momentarily to let this sink in.

Nightwing let out a breath. "Congratulations, you're a Dad."

Cyborg smiled. "Yeah, they're my new pride and joy. Anyways, Flash and I had to devise a plan with the Justice League to form a more suitable team that could have full control over Jump City. Titans East is still run by Speedy, Aqualad, Mas y Menos and Green Lanterns' protégés. So they gave me four members who needed extreme training. Scratch that, NEED training."

"Isn't Batman apart of the Justice League? Why didn't he keep me updated on the struggles you were having?"

Cyborg chuckled. "As I've said before, WE CALLED!" He chuckled some more. "You are full of air, you know that?"

Nightwing chuckled lightly. "Who did they send you?"

Cyborg stopped laughing. "Superboy, Wondergirl, and Blue Beetle. Flash chose to take on a distant relative to take his position of Kid Flash. The kid is extremely immature, but he just needs the right training. He fits the part perfectly, so the Justice League reactivated his gene and he's even faster than Flash."

Nightwing raised his eyebrows. "Wow. You've really started something great."

Cyborg nodded. "Together they make the new Teen Titans. I'll make sure I train them to my fullest capabilities, but they also need training from the best." He waggled his finger at Nightwing. "That's why I've been trying to contact you. You're the perfect candidate, and you fit the role as 'fearless leader'." Cyborg stood up and pressed a button on his arm. _"Everyone in the training room in five."_ He said into the mini speaker. "Follow me." Cyborg said as he crossed the room to the office's exit.

Nightwing swallowed. It was true, he was known as the 'fearless leader' but his last time being a Titan he failed them when they needed him most. He felt nervous, and anticipation flittered around in his gut. Starfire's face appeared in his mind, and for the first time in _months_ he wished she were here. Her beautiful gaze and warm approach was what he needed, he felt extreme guilt wash over him like hot water. It scaled him and his skin crawled, he should've been here to say goodbye to her. One achievement he was most proud of in his life was making her feel like she belonged. That feeling of belongingness was taken away from her by the person who had dealt it; selfishness shuddered through him, leaving mental bruises in their wake. He shivered as he walked down the hall with Cyborg, so many things he was feeling right now; how was he supposed to cope and heal when he was constantly being reminded of his mistakes?

They arrived in front of large double doors, the area looked familiar and cyborg smiled at him. "Welcome to the new and improved training room." He pushed open the doors and walked in. The four Titans scrambled into a straight line. The walls glistened with black paint, the floor was one large training mat, and the place was huge. There was a doorway for a cardio room, and a doorway for a weight room. The large gymnasium they were standing in was complete with hanging ropes, large medicinal balls, and jump ropes. Every piece of training equipment they would ever need was in their reach. Nightwing looked at the four eager teenagers. Before he could get a better glimpse of them a familiar friend appeared. He clapped Richard on the back and smiled. "Flash." Nightwing said and pulled him in for a hug. They thumped each other on the back.

"It's great to finally see you! We need to catch up; I have so much to tell you." Flash smiled, his red hair was wildly messy and his blue eyes held the same fantastic smarminess that they used to.

Pink hair came into vision and Flash pulled her in for a hug. He kissed her on the temple. It was Jinx, only she was different; her usual spiked pink hair wasn't standing but lying flat on her shoulders. "I don't remember this guy, was he sent by the Justice League?" She asked sarcastically.

Richard rolled his eyes. "Ha-ha very funny." She pulled him in for a hug and gave him a peck on the cheek.

"It's great to see you Robin." She smiled.

"I go by Nightwing now." He said quietly.

"I know." She smiled again and looked towards Cyborg. "The babies are down for a nap, Bee is preparing dinner for everyone. She's excited to see Robin again." She stopped suddenly and glared at the line of Titans who were now shoving and pushing at each other.

Cyborg sighed. "Nightwing is going to try his first training session with them; he'll probably need you guys' help so you can stay if you want." Cyborg said before shouting at the Titans to quit their bickering.

Nightwing didn't know how to start this training so he thought back to his mentor; Batman. When he was being trained by the black knight, it was brutal and hurtful. Each training session felt like life and death. Maybe that's what he needed to do with them. He trained the recent team of Titans but they didn't have to start from scratch. Each person was already fully capable of using their powers to the fullest. They had more synchronicity than the shoving arguing teenagers in front of him. This was going to be very different for him; _very_. He clapped his hands and jogged to where Cyborg was.

"Front and center." He shouted. Cyborg took a couple steps away from the group and crossed his arms. Nightwing shut off his emotions and put on a blank face. "I'm Nightwing, formerly Robin. I will be training you today. I will call out your name and you will answer some questions for me. Understand?"

The Titans' eyes were wide and focused, they nodded in unison.

"Blue Beetle." Nightwing said clearly.

The blue suited figure stepped forward. His eyes darted back and forth quickly and he was mumbling quietly to himself. "I'm Blue Beetle, sir." He said nervously.

"What is your power?"

"I have ten different cannons, three different wing spans, enhanced strength and durability, and the ability to recreate any weapon I see with my armor." His voice carried in the air, his abilities stunned Nightwing.

Kid Flash snickered. "He also has a voice in his head!" He laughed.

Flash stepped forward angrily. "Bart, keep it shut." He said in a serious voice. Kid Flash immediately stopped his snickering.

Nightwing shrugged indifferently. "Do you have a voice in your head?"

Blue Beetle shook his head. "No, well yes. It's difficult to explain."

Nightwing crossed his arms. "We have all evening."

Blue Beetle's eyes widened. "I don't know where to start."

Nightwing sighed. "Give me your story, everyone has one."

"Well, okay. Um, I was born in El Paso, Texas. I became what I am through an accidental finding of an ancient artifact. The blue Scarab Beetle. When I was sleeping one night it attached to my spine, it has a voice a mind and everything. It's irremovable, and I can't get rid of it no matter what I do. Justice League contacted me and helped me train to keep it under control. It literally tells me what to do, and sometimes controls my body. It tells me to kill people I don't want to kill." He finished.

Nightwing looked back at Cyborg questionably. "This is who they sent? Really?"

Cyborg nodded. "They pushed the outcasts to us."

"HEY! We're not outcasts!" A blonde haired girl with blue eyes stepped forward from the line of Titans. "We were sent to make history." She put her hands on her hips.

Nightwing raised his eyebrows. "You must be Wondergirl." He looked toward Blue Beetle. "You're free to step back into line." Blue Beetle nodded. Nightwing turned his attention to Wondergirl. "You're pretty proud aren't you?"

She nodded her head and smiled. "I was trained by the best, and I plan on being the best."

Nightwing smiled. "That's great, step back in line."

Her mouth dropped. "I thought you'd want to hear my story?"

"Nope." Nightwing said. He pointed at the kid wearing a black short sleeve shirt and denim jeans. He had a big red 'S' painted on his chest, he was pretty big for a teenager but considering his mentor that was normal. "Superboy, step forward."

He did with a grunt. "What?" He asked haughtily.

"Tell me about yourself." Nightwing said.

Superboy sighed. "My Earth name is Connor Kent. I was trained by Superman and I was sent here to watch over Cyborg and report to the Justice League if there are any problems."

Nightwing frowned. "Why would you want to turn Cyborg in? Hasn't he given you everything you want?"

"Yes, but there's always room for improvement." Superboy stared Nightwing down, their gazes becoming angered.

Wondergirl stepped in and grabbed Superboy's shoulder. "Don't mind him, he's hot headed. I've been keeping an eye on him and making sure he won't do anything stupid. Right?" She glared at him and he glared back.

His gaze suddenly became faltered and he openly sighed. "Fine Cassie."

She smiled and pulled him back into line. Nightwing smirked. "Okay we should start training."

"WAIT! What about me?" Kid Flash yelled.

Nightwing looked at him sternly. "How old are you?" He shouted.

"Thirteen." He mumbled.

"Act like it." Nightwing growled.

Kid Flash took a step back, alarmed and hurt by the trainers' disposition. His face fell and he took his cue to be silent. Nearby Wally chuckled silently and Jinx elbowed him harshly.

Nightwing cleared his throat and looked at Cyborg. "Now that introductions are out the way I'm going to start brutality training." He grunted and put on the best Batman interpretation he could.

The Titans' eyes widened in fear. Cyborg chuckled. "You never trained us like that!"

Nightwing smirked. "Exactly." He looked over at Jinx and Kid Flash. "Guys come here." He gestured them over.

They leaned in and smiled. "What do you need us to do?" Wally asked quietly.

"Kill them." Nightwing said.

Jinx stirred a little. "What? You don't mean that do you?" Her eyes widened.

Nightwing shook his head. "I want you to act like you really are going to kill them. It's the only way to make them take training seriously."

The group nodded. "That makes sense."

Nightwing turned towards the group. "Over the next few training sessions I will assess each and every one of you. The one that does the best inside and outside of training will become team leader." He grunted and turned back to Jinx, Flash, and Cyborg. Nightwing nodded and the three leaders took to the air and ground launching immediate attacks at the younger Titans.

The Titans however weren't prepared for such an instantaneous attack so naturally with one punch from Flash and Cyborg they went down. Superboy kept fighting, but didn't help his team as he attempted another go at Flash. Flash uppercut him in the jaw which sent him flying.

Nightwing put his fingers together and whistled. "Enough, enough." He shouted. "Wondergirl, defend with quick blocks, don't think so much about using your whip. Kid, use your speed to protect your team members, Blue Beetle reverse the opponents attacks, Superboy stop thinking about yourself and help your team. All of you need to think about defense and others around you." He looked at his smiling colleagues. "Jinx kill them."

She smiled and her eyes lit up in pink. She circled her wrists and pink spikes emitted from the floor. The Titans jumped up and Blue Beetle created a large blue shield for them to stand on. Superboy flung himself at the pink sorceress who leaped expertly out of the way. She spun in tight circles and the spikes disappeared, in place of them she released a torrent of pink acidic spheres. They whirred past the Titans liberating heat. Kid Flash decided to put a stop to it so he ran tight circles around Jinx. Her attack stopped and she crouched on the ground long enough to pull his feet from under him. As soon as Kid Flash went down Wondergirl aided him to his feet and tossed him lithely to the side. She used her whip to contain Jinxs' wrist, with a twist of her arm Jinx went down to her knees. Jinx winced in pain and shot hex bolts from her free hand. Instead of them hitting Wondergirl they bounced off of Blue Beetle's armor which doubled as a shield for Wondergirl. Superboy swept in quickly and delivered a chakra blocking blow to the villains back. With Jinx capacitated the team stopped their assault and looked proudly at Nightwing.

Nightwing clapped his hands. "Well done, but you still need a lot of work. The old Titans could've taken down Jinx within seconds."

Jinx angrily stood up and brushed herself off. She crossed her arms and strutted to Wally. "I could've taken them if they weren't all over the place." She huffed.

Wally laughed and pulled her lovingly in for a hug. "Dinner should be ready, let's eat."

The group headed off towards the common room. Bee was placing plates of food on the table and her babies were sitting in high chairs making cooing noises.

As soon as they walked in she ran to give Nightwing a hug. "Robin! It's so great to see you!"

Nightwing smirked. "It's Nightwing now."

"I know." She said with a smile. She ushered everyone to the table. "Robin this is Maitena and Kordale." She gestured the twins who were throwing food onto the floor.

Richard adjusted his seat. "They're adorable." He said as one of them made a giggle sound.

Bee laughed. "They're a handful." She began to pick at the food on her plate. "How was training today?" She asked Cyborg.

Cyborg smirked. "I think Nightwing taught them exactly what teamwork is."

Nightwing swallowed. "There's still much more that needs to be done. The next training session I want Superboy and Wondergirl against Kid flash and Blue Beetle." He looked around the table. "Where's Blue Beetle?"

Wally sighed. "The scarab thing that controls his mind probably told him not to come to dinner. He sometimes bails on us."

A shuffling came from the door and the group turned around. A tan skinned boy with short black hair and brown eyes came in. He was wearing a grey hoody and jeans, his hands were shoved in his jacket and he had a pained expression on his face.

Kid Flash laughed. "Speaking of the devil."

He walked over and sat next to Kid Flash. He looked towards Cyborg. "Sorry, I was having some trouble."

Cyborg sighed and took a sip from his glass. "What type of trouble Jaime?"

"Do I have to spell it out?" He asked while glancing nervously over at Nightwing.

Nightwing cleared his throat. "What's going on? Is this Blue Beetle without the armor?"

Cyborg nodded. "His suit is retractable through the scarab attached to his spine. This is who he really is, Jaime Reyes."

Jaime nodded in Nightwing's direction. "We're comfortable with our secret identities around here. Why aren't you?" He asked quietly.

Nightwing's eyes narrowed. "My identity is the only thing that keeps me safe from the villains."

Jaime shrugged but Kid Flash next to him smirked. "We're not villains, why don't you take off your mask?" He asked annoyingly.

Wally glared at his protégé. "Bart leave him alone, it's his choice to make not ours."

Wondergirl sighed. "Well, around here we discuss our identities openly. I'm Cassie Sandsmark, Superboy is Connor Kent, and Kid Flash is Bart Allen. The Justice League told us to never be ashamed of our secret identities. I don't understand why you are."

Nightwing stopped eating. "An identity doesn't make you a hero and I'm not ashamed of my identity. My identity makes me safe; it's an asset not a liability like the Justice League teaches you."

She shrugged and continued to stab at her dinner. A few moments of awkward silence ensued. Nightwing broke the silence with a cough. "Have any of you heard from Starfire?"

Cyborg and Bee stopped eating. Jinx looked sadly at Nightwing and Wally wiped his mouth.

"Why are you acting like she died? She'll come visit won't she?" Nightwing asked, his voice carried worriedly around the room.

Cyborg sighed. "She sent us a message a few months ago informing us that she is no longer allowed Earthly connections."

Jinx reached over and placed a hand on Nightwing's. "She assured us that everything is fine, but her planet wants to take extra precautions to avoid another galactic battle."

"She's also getting married." Wally mumbled. Nightwing choked on the water he was drinking.

Jinx elbowed him in the side. "You didn't have to tell him that yet!"

"Sorry." He mumbled again.

Richard wiped his mouth on his napkin. "So that's it? She hasn't sent anything else or even tried to secretly call?" He asked with a twinge of anger in his voice.

They simultaneously shook their heads. Bee sighed. "You hurt her pretty bad Robin, I'm sure that she doesn't want to come back to Earth, or even associate with it." She said softly. "The best thing for her to do is move on."

Nightwing felt his breath hitch and his chest contract. Before he could reply an alarm went off in the Tower, blinking red lights shined brightly and the twins began to cry loudly.

Cyborg stood up. "Titans trouble!" He shouted and headed towards the monitor. The Titans crowded around him and stared at the police message unraveling on the screen. Nightwing hovered behind them, observing their tactical analyzing. Cyborg grunted. "Dead body found in an Alley next to the Pizza joint."

The Titans sighed. "No action, no monsters?" Bart whined.

Cyborg shook his head. "We don't need the whole team out for analyzing so I'll bring one Titan." He rubbed his chin. "Wondergirl can come along, you have good analytical skills."

She clapped her hands. "I'll get my whip!" She shouted before she ran out the common room.

Superboy shrugged. "I'll be in my room if anyone needs me."

Bee appeared and put her hands on her hips. "Nope, you're going to help me wash dishes."

His face tensed into anger then resided. He slumped his shoulders and went to the sink. Bee walked over to Cyborg and placed a kiss on his cheek. "Don't stay out too late." She said softly.

Cyborg kissed her back. "Give the kids a kiss for me." She smiled and began to clear the table.

Nightwing watched this all happen. "Can I come with you and Wondergirl?" He asked.

Cyborg nodded. "Not a problem."

* * *

They arrived at the scene of the crime; the police lights cast eerie shadows among the clutter of buildings. Nightwing, Cyborg, and Wondergirl piled out of the car and approached the police chief.

Cyborg waved at him. "You called us here?"

The police chief nodded. "Yes, I did. It seems to be a murder, but what makes it abnormal is the scene of the crime. You should probably take a look." His voice shook slightly and he was pale in the moonlight.

The Titans approached the blood splattered alley; the police examining the body with flashlights shined light on the body. It was a man of middle age; he had grey hair and dark eyes. His pupils stared horridly at the night sky. His legs and arms were snapped in odd positions, and his palms were filled with blood. His neck was slit open and blood pooled around his head. His veins hung limply into the pool of blood. His wrists were also cut, the man's hand only hung by a tiny flap of skin on the arms. Something tapped Nightwing's shoulder. He turned and Wondergirl pointed at the blood splattered onto the wall. Her hand was over her mouth and she was very pale. Nightwing followed her hand and saw that the blood on the wall spelt out letters. He mentally cursed and read the message. 'Number 2- Sabot Bey'.

Cyborg sighed. "What sick bastard would kill someone and leave a message?"

Nightwing clenched his fists. "It's not a coincidence." He mumbled.

Cyborg looked at Nightwing. "What do you mean?"

"Something bigger is happening, the same exact thing happened in Gotham the other day." Richard said evenly.

Wondergirl sighed. "What type of monster would do this?"

Cyborg shook his head. "We'll have to contact the Justice League."

Nightwing shook his head angrily. "No, we can't become dependent on them."

Footsteps sounded in the alley and a police officer regarded them alarmingly. "Another body was found in an alley two blocks from here. It's a fresh body." He said tiredly.

Nightwing cussed. "Was there a message?"

The police officer nodded. "It said 'Number 3-Sabot Bey'."

Chills ran down the heroes' spines. Nightwing gritted his teeth. "I believe it's time I cut my trip short, I need to get back to Gotham and report this."

Cyborg nodded and looked down at the body one last time. "We need to investigate this further. Do you have any idea who would do this?" He asked.

Nightwing rubbed a hand over his face. "Joker."

Wondergirl shook with fear. "Why is the Joker in Jump City? Doesn't he usually stay in Gotham?"

Nightwing nodded and regarded the young Titan with a heavy gaze. "Welcome to the new age of danger."

Her eyes widened. "What do you mean?"

"Either we have an extremely violent new villain, or an extremely violent Joker. Either way it's dangerous and they're obviously trying to send a message. This is where it starts; it's our job to finish it."

* * *

A/N: Sorry this took so long to come out, I had writers' block for a day. ANYWAYS, do you like it? MUCH MUCH more is yet to still happen but just let me know if you like it!

CONGRATS to koryandrs for being the 10th reviewer! For a prize you can choose between a sneak peak of Teen Titanic OR one question pertaining to this story about ANYTHING. Yep, that's right you can ask things such as 'Is Raven coming back?' OR 'Will Nightwing and Starfire get back together?' ANYTHING YOUR HEART DESIRES! PM me with a decision.

Thank you for reading! Please Follow, Favorite, AND REVIEW PLEASE! PLEASE! 20 reviews for an update!

Next Chapter: What is being feared like? Beast Boy explains. Richard makes a shocking discovery that rhymes with Mason God. He also has a reflective moment of silence in his mind for his lost love. AND we see how Starfire is doing. Do not worry; this story will get much more interesting. Stay with me!


	3. Turbulance and Repressed Memories

To Guest: I'm very glad you liked the first story! It took a lot of time and effort. Hopefully this story becomes as successful as the first one. Thank you so much for reviewing! XOXO.

Guest Again: Your questions will be answered soon! Do not fear!

A/N: Thank you for reviewing everyone! I love you all! I hope you like this chapter; I know you still have a bunch of unanswered questions, BUT THEY WILL BE ANSWERED. Don't worry your minds will be blown, hopefully soon. Peace!

* * *

Nightwing sighed and gave Cyborg a hug. He was leaving Jump City early to return to Gotham. Murders were being reported at a rapid pace, and they were all encrypted with the creepy message of 'Sabot Bey'. He hated having to leave early, but he promised them that he would be back.

Cyborg sighed. "It was great having you here for less than a day, but duty calls."

Nightwing nodded and gave Wally and Jinx a hug. He gave Bee a hug and smiled at the twins. The new team of Titans looked at him sadly. Superboy stepped forward. "So, who's the leader?" He asked haughtily.

Nightwing scratched his head. "I haven't decided yet, train every day and practice the teamwork techniques I taught you. When I come back I'll decide."

Superboy made a grunting sound and was pulled back by Wondergirl. She smiled at Nightwing. "Thank you, for everything."

Nightwing smirked. "Not a problem." He turned towards Cyborg. "Gradually make the training exercises tougher, team them up against each other and make them fight to their fullest ability."

Cyborg nodded. "Yeah, I'll do my best."

"You've done great Cy; you've really brought the City back." Nightwing added.

Cyborg smiled. "That means a lot to me, especially coming from you."

Nightwing gave him a two fingered salute and began walking to the Bat plane. Before he made it cyborg called to him again. "What's wrong?" Nightwing asked.

"I wanted to give you this." He said as he held out a silver device that looked like a kindle. It had a black screen and a power button.

Nightwing frowned. "What is it?"

"It's my latest invention; I call it an Ultimate Titan communicator, UTC for short." He smirked proudly. "Whenever you want to talk you press the power button and whoever is on the network pops up on the screen, and then you can have a video chat with any one of us."

Nightwing took the instrument and smiled at it. "That sounds great, thank you."

"Not a problem, keep me updated with the Sabot Bey thing. Oh, and don't be a stranger." He smiled.

Nightwing patted him on the shoulder before boarding the plane. He took off while waving at the inhabitants of Titan tower. They were like a family, like the previous team was. He pondered silently on how they used to be when the original Titans lived there. He missed Raven and Beast Boy's fights, he missed her dark energy forms and his green scared face, he missed Cyborg's morning cooking, and most of all he missed Starfire's giggles and shouts of the word 'glorious' all over the tower. He was so content with the way it used to be, he would give anything to go back to those times, when everything was always sunny and bright. When everything was always full of Starfire's giggles and squeals, his heart panged and he immediately shooed away any thoughts of her. He couldn't do that to himself, not now, not ever. He focused on his journey back to Gotham, avoiding any thoughts of her.

* * *

The sky was bright pink and Zordleburgs flew by gently, dropping a few poisonous feathers onto the orange ground of Tameran. They buzzed and yipped their sounds of approval around the vast kingdom, gardens that were spread like mazes zig zagged avariciously around corners and pathways. The golden kingdom palace shone brightly, its native flags flapped in the light breeze. The slight smell of sulfur emitted into the air, creating aromatic scents of space that the people of Tameran loved. The grand ruler of Tameran stepped out on the balcony, clad in her kingdom crown and the attire of Tameran. She arched her back and breathed in the sunlight that caressed her skin. Their sun was nothing like Earth's but it was close enough where she could almost imagine and reminisce about her beloved second home. Starfire sighed sadly, she missed Earth. She missed the people, the culture, and most of all the many smells and tastes of various foods.

A guard startled her from behind. "Sorry to disturb you Koriand'r. I was sent to escort you to Prince Karras. He requests you appearance immediately."

Starfire felt a twisting in her gut but ignored it. She held her head straight and followed the guard calmly into the hallway. Her heels made a harsh clacking sound on the floor and her long purple robe followed behind her, gently swaying side to side. Many things have changed in her life since she moved back to her home planet. The first was her attitude. On Earth she was a gentle spirit, she was calm, friendly, loving, and caring. When she arrived back on Tameran she had to hide that part of herself, the best thing for her to do was become the icy queen she knew she could be. She embraced her Tamaranian side with grace and forced her cold interior to resurface. The second thing that changed was her leadership capabilities. Tameran was at war when she left, the Gordanians were battling fiercely but eventually the Tameran race won. In her place her guardian K'norfka Galfore took her place as grand ruler of the planet. He ruled with an iron fist, he doubled the army size, and signed three peace treaties with surrounding planets. When she returned she resumed and learned the role she was born to play. Her people loved and respected their new leader. They took her seriously and honored all decisions she made, loyalty was a big deal to Koriand'r. The third thing that had changed was her relationship status. Ever since her heartbreak with Robin she guarded herself more. She regarded all men a certain way, and in general she became unsympathetic for the opposite sex. Needless to say Starfire of Earth was now gone, and in her place stood the strong willed leader of Tameran; Koriand'r. She was currently searching for suitors that could help better her position with other planets with the Vegan system.

The double doors of Prince Karras's chambers opened. The guard bowed to Koriand'r before leaving her. Starfire began her descent forward searching for her suitor that Galfore had recommended her. She had been on one outing with him since her first encounter. Outings in Tameran were similar to 'dates' on Earth, their outing was rather cozy. They bonded in a way that she never had before. Before she could open her mouth to call out his name hands clapped over her eyes and someone bit the skin on her neck. Koriand'r resisted the urge to giggle and kicked back her leg. She missed the intruder by inches and in return he gave her an elbow blow to the mid-back. She whipped herself around and punched the behemoth right in the face. She lit up her hands and pointed them lithely at the attacker. She smirked when she saw who it was. "I won."

Karras swung his legs out, they connected with her and she landed on top of him. "I don't think so."

She pushed herself off of him. "Contain yourself, I shall win next time." She fake pouted and walked further into the room.

Karras stood up and brushed himself off. "Our fake fights have reached an entire new level of intimacy." He mumbled. "I believe it is time to take our relationship to the next level."

Starfire stopped where she was, frozen in place. She couldn't move her lips to move so she didn't. One name and face popped into her mind, she swallowed and attempted to shove down the memories.

Karras took a couple steps further. "Koriand'r? What do you say?"

Starfire turned around, and crossed her arms. She forced herself to think like a Tamaranian, not and Earthling. "What are the diplomatic reasons that you wish to impose?"

Karras's eyebrows shot up. "I wish to implore a treaty between the hated Florham species, through marriage we can achieve so much." He bit his lip and sighed. "I also wish to touch you." He mumbled silently, his eyes flickered and his mouth quirked on the edges.

Koriand'r exhaled. Tamaranian people never showed much emotion, but when they did it was for loved ones, it was when they wanted to let you know they cared deeply for you. She allowed herself a smile and she moved toward him lithely. "I wish to touch you too, but in a different way." She said before planting her lips firmly into his. His lips were smooth but firm, they weren't breath teasingly amazing like Robin's but they were dazzling. His hands snaked around her buttocks and he propelled her forward into him. His manhood pressed firmly into her royal clothing and Starfire squirmed uncomfortably. She pushed him away quickly, feeling guilty.

Karras frowned. "Why did you press you lips to mine, we are speaking the same language?"

"On Earth it is a way to show a person that you wish to be with them forever." Starfire knew the definition was sketchy but when she kissed Robin, she knew she wanted to be with him forever. Starfire shook her head quickly trying to wipe away his name from her mind. "I do not wish to rush into a proposal." She inquired quickly.

"Koriand'r, we are moving on in this relationship, meaning that I will become King. What do you mean by 'Rush'?"

Starfire bit her lips. She again had to remember where she was, on Tameran there were no dates, or casual kisses by the moonlight. It was betrothal, marriage, kids, and war. Everything was supposed to happen fast. That was the Tamaranian lifestyle. She sighed and bowed her head. "I am thinking too much about Earth."

Karras grabbed her hand. "I understand. But you are my future. How did they do this on Earth?"

Starfire smiled. "On Earth the male would crouch on one knee and ask the female if she was willing enough to marry her, out of love."

Karras nodded. "I guess I will do it, in honor of your beloved planet." He crouched on one knee uncomfortably.

Koriand'r stifled a giggle. "You look most ridiculous doing such activities."

He nodded and flashed her a smile. "As long as it makes you happy."

That made her heart melt, but another name and face still played around in the back of her mind.

He adjusted himself and tightened his grip on her hands. "Koriand'r of Tameran would you do the marrying of me? You are my betrothed and I wish to expand my territories among this government." He smiled earnestly.

Starfire felt tears well to her eyes, not because she was being proposed to but because she expected it to be with someone else and she expected the word 'love' to be involved. She did not love Karras, but he was a smart decision for her planet and he people. Tears began to pour from her eyes and she sniffled.

Karras immediately stood. "I have upset you; please explain to me what I have done wrong?"

She took a couple steps back, almost tripping on her outfit. She waved him away and wiped furiously at her eyes. Crying was a sign of weakness; she could not break down in front of her betrothed. "I am feeling rather reminiscent of my recent planet." She said between a sob.

Karras frowned and scratched his head. "Did I do everything you wanted?"

She stopped her sniffling and sobbing and began to compose herself. "Yes, you did. I accept your proposal of marriage on one condition."

Karras grinned. "Anything."

"I wish to take a two week trip to Earth before our wedding." She gritted her teeth hoping he would oblige.

"Only if I am put in you place to lead for those two weeks." His face became unreadable.

Starfire pondered his request. Is it wise of her to put her future husband in charge of her planet while she is away? Is that selfish of her just because she wishes to visit her favorite planet for the last time in her life? Did she trust Karras? She wasn't quite sure, but she felt Earth calling to her. "Yes, you may rule in my stead for two weeks. When I return we may wed."

Karras smirked and nodded. "Very well, I will inform Galfore and gather your items for your trip."

"That is not necessary; I am more than capable of retrieving my items." She nodded.

He held up a hand. "As your future husband, it is my duty to treat you like the goddess you are."

She smiled. "I will leave tonight." She turned and walked out of the room, her heels clacked and Karras watched her go.

He smiled wickedly and called the guards to his side, this was perfect. This was the perfect opportunity he needed to accomplish his plans.

* * *

He felt sick. His stomach bubbled horridly, and bile rose up in his throat. His brain clamored in distress, and self-hatred blurred its way into his senses. Tears fell down his cheeks and he sniffled, his knees collapsed on him and he fell harshly on his patellae. Beast Boy looked down at his green hands in disgust. What would Raven say to this? Would she ever forgive him? Before he could bring a clear image of his beloved to his mind hands slithered around shoulders. They rubbed his tense sore muscles slowly. Beast Boy shrugged off the comforting hands; he turned around and stood up, a scowl playing angrily on his face. "What the HELL Raina?"

"It's the only way." She whispered. Her eyes were sad, her mouth forming an appropriate frown.

"It can't be! This can't be!" He screamed. Thunder clapped in the distance. "I can't believe I did this." He ran his hands through his green hair. His eyes widened in disbelief.

Raina moved toward him, she cupped his face in her hands. "It's the only way." She whispered saucily. "I'm sorry, but it's okay."

He smacked her hands away. "No it's not! This is inhumane!" He shook his head and began to back away from her. "I can't do this, I can't. It's not worth it! What will she think of me when she returns?" His voice became raspy and before Raina could comfort him he ran. His footsteps slammed harshly on the city pavement. His sneakers made a squeak sound in the puddles he tramped in. He couldn't shake the impending feeling of failure that weighed down on his heart like a ton of bricks. Raven's face flashed behind his eyelids and before he could make it any further down the street he tripped and fell. His elbow slammed into the sidewalk. Beast Boy screamed out in pain, the thunder that clapped in the distance concealed his screams. No one was out, so no one would hear him. He rolled onto his stomach and heaved any food he had left in his system. Absolute horror and disgust drove him to gag a few more times. Tears welled out of his eyes and he began to sob uncontrollably. Everything he did, everything that was done would follow him forever. How would he be able to live with himself?

Warm hands slithered around him again, but this time they were welcoming and he needed them. Raina slid to her knees and pulled him into her lap. Rain began to pour heavily, both of them becoming drenched in tears and rain. "Shh, shh." She whispered. "I know this is the hardest part, but we'll make it through."

Beast Boy wanted to tell her to go fuck herself but he couldn't bring himself to say it. Instead he sobbed some more and buried his head in her shoulder. She smelled like sandalwood and coffee. He inhaled her scent deeply and it comforted him.

Raina felt a couple of her own tears slip down her face; she cursed herself for being weak at a moment like this. Usually when she was with her clients she kept a stoic, and fearless face. She was usually deceitful and mean, but with Beast Boy she felt different. Beast Boy warmed her icy heart; he relit the smothered emotions Raina had kept bottled up. She felt content, and delighted when he was around. It was killing her on the inside that she was doing this to someone. She was aiding his blind decisions. "Let's go find a hotel." She murmured and helped him stand. Her dark brown curly hair was now plastered to her tan face; water stained her dark red peacoat and black leggings.

Beast Boy allowed himself to be led to a hotel. He didn't care which one, as of this moment he felt no emotions. Everything was raw, the tears that stained his green skin had become so accustomed to his everyday life he barely noticed them still falling from his eyes. He shut his brain off; he shunned the thoughts and memories of Raven that still lingered around. In order to carry out his duty, his task, he had to shut his consciousness down. He didn't fully realize where he was until his face hit a fluffy pillow and his body shut down. He fell asleep quickly, not even inquiring about his whereabouts.

Raina watched him drift off into a soundless sleep. When she was sure he was asleep she leaned down and gave him a light kiss on the cheek. Her permanent red lipstick left a slight kiss mark on his green skin. She walked to the bathroom and dried her hair off; it curled effervescently and formed back to its thick shape that it usually took. She felt her skin crawl momentarily and she knew that her powers were buzzing underneath her exterior. Raina closed her eyes and allowed her power to flow through her; it sent a sharp chill down her spine. Her fingers tightened on the sink and she grinded her teeth together. She allowed her witchy power to flow outwards from her body, emitting a light white light. It zapped into her and her power continued to influx in and out of her body for minutes more. It felt invigorating to allow it to control her body momentarily. A picture flashed behind her eyelids and she stopped her power incursion. She gasped and felt her stomach drop. Her powers were telling her someone was trying to contact her. She wasn't ready, but who was she to ignore a power given to her?

Raina reached into the pocket of her peacoat. She drew out a knife and sliced open her index finger. Blood seeped to the surface and began to drip. Raina placed her finger on the mirror and began to write. 'Aperire altera'. The mirror turned white and Raina avoided the urge to shield her eyes. A face appeared and Raina sucked in a breath. "Hello Arella."

"Hello Raina." Arella smirked wickedly. "It's great to see you again." Her laugh pierced the hotel interior and made their way into Beast Boy's nightmares. Thunder rolled and lightning flashed in the sky.

* * *

Confusing? I know, I can't tell you exactly what's going on with BB and Raina but I can tell you that he has to become feared, but the way he has to do it is disgusting and unthinkable to him. We can only keep reading to find out…Raina is feeling something she's never felt before; guilt. ANYWAYS, Starfire is coming back to Earth to tie up some loose ends with her beloved Titans! WOOT reunion! But will Richard be there? Hmm…

Please Follow, FAVORITE, AND REVIEW REVIEW REVIEW REVIEW! PLEASE! 31 Reviews for an update.

Next Chapter: A surprise that rhymes with Mason God, a visit from a green eyed friend, and a conversation with Arella. It gets interesting, and maybe you guys can figure out what's going on…I don't want secrets coming out too soon. Stay with me! Thanks!


	4. Thawing out the Cold

I AM SO SORRY! I know this update is really late, but don't lose faith in me! I am so sorry about the late update. I started writing it and suddenly I became intensely plagued by writer's block. I cured it by watching extreme amounts of walking dead and crying myself to sleep. Again I'm sorry, and please remember that I love each and every one of you. Enjoy…

* * *

Nightwing stepped into the manor shedding his mask and stretching his arms. He startled Alfred and he dropped his silver tray. "Master Dick!" He shouted.

"Yeah, something happened in Jump City. I need to talk to Bruce." Richard said quickly before the butler could scold him for coming home so soon.

"He is very busy at the moment." Alfred sputtered and wiped off his tray. "Some things have happened since your trip."

Richard made a face. "I was only gone 12 hours, what could've happened?"

Alfred frowned. "It's two in the morning, you should get to bed, I will explain tomorrow morning."

"Explain what? Did something happen?" He asked with a hint of panic in his voice.

Alfred looked over his shoulder into the dining area. "Nothing, now please go to bed. I don't want you to wake the inhabitants of the house."

He frowned and skirted around Alfred. He walked into the kitchen and was greeted by Babs. She was wearing a green pajama set and her hair was hung loosely around her shoulders. She was sitting next to a guy with blonde hair and blue eyes. He was drinking something out of a mug. Bruce was nowhere to be seen.

Richard stepped forward. "Who is this?"

Babs smiled at him nervously. "When did you get home?" She asked hesitantly.

"Cut the shit Babs, who is this?" He pointed a finger at the staring guy.

The guy put up his hands. "Don't worry, don't panic. I'm Jason Todd. I'm new here."

Richard couldn't believe his ears. "New here?" He looked at Babs. "An explanation would be nice."

Babs sighed and turned to Jason. "Go wait in the hallway; I need to talk to Richard alone."

Jason nodded and grabbed his drink; he smiled at Richard on his way out. Richard put a scowl on his face. "Does the phrase 'secret identity' mean anything to you?" He shouted.

Babs ran her hand through her hair. "Sit down and I'll explain."

Richard did as she told; biting his tongue to ensure that he wouldn't start shouting random questions.

Babs smiled lightly. "Bruce and I were doing patrol. We ended up chasing a robber down a street for an entire mile. Eventually we caught the crook and the police escorted him away. When we were heading back toward the Bat mobile someone was already there. He was stealing tires from it, fearlessly. Bruce was astonished. We confronted him and made a couple threats and he explained that he needed the tires so he could sell them for money. Bruce tried to tackle him but somehow he caught the better of Batman and took him down."

Richard shook his head. "Wait, someone took Bruce down? That doesn't make sense."

Babs nodded. "Let me finish." She took a sip from her mug and continued. "After he took Bruce down I charged at him and somehow he took me down. Bruce had a moment of silence and invited him home. He explained that his name was Jason Todd, he has a really interesting life story and I think you'll get used to him."

Richard stood up. "No, I'm not going to get used to him because he's not staying. Bruce would never do this." He turned to leave but was stopped by none other than Bruce himself.

Bruce frowned at Richard. "You will get used to him, I'm adopting him."

Richard's mouth dropped. "You're not serious."

Bruce nodded slowly. "He's sixteen, and he has no family. He's been living on the streets since he was 9 years old."

Richard shook his head. "You're not serious! What has gotten into you? The Bruce I know would never in a million years allow someone in our house, let alone know our secret identities!"

Bruce sighed. "He has a lot in common with you. When I first saw his charisma, and fearlessness against me I knew that he was different."

"So you're going to adopt him?" Richard asked silently.

"Already done." Bruce answered simply.

Jason suddenly walked into the room, his face was in shock. "No one asked me if I wanted to be adopted!" He shouted angrily. "What the hell, all I wanted was a nice meal and a place to stay." He looked at Bruce. "What the hell?"

Bruce remained stoic. "There is no need to worry, everything is sorted out you are now Bruce Wayne's ward."

He shook his head slowly. "First I find out that Batman is Bruce Wayne, then I find out that he owns the Batcave and pretty much owns Gotham, then I find out that you adopted me as your son? I didn't ask for this!" He turned on his heel and ran out of the room.

Richard sighed and looked at Bruce. "See why it's a bad idea to adopt on the whim?"

Bruce smirked, which he rarely ever did. "Go talk to him."

Babs frowned and Richard shook his head. "No, we'll get rid of him by morning if he knows he's unwanted."

Bruce grunted. "Don't disobey."

Richard sighed and ran after the blonde headed teenager. He followed the loud stumbling footsteps he made through the mansion. About fifteen minutes later Richard found him in the Arboretum. It was a large dome with a beautiful variety of different flowers and plants. It smelled like roses and fruit, twigs snapped under his feet and he moved toward the middle of the dome. Jason sat on the stone bench kicking at the grass at his feet. Richard moved slowly toward him and sat next to him. He didn't say anything for a long time; he just stared at the apple tree that was planted unnaturally a few feet away.

Jason stopped kicking and looked at Richard. It was 'the' Richard Grayson, son of Bruce Wayne and apparently Nightwing. He was amazed at how quickly his life could change; a couple hours ago he was stealing from the Bat mobile, now he was sitting next to the richest boy in Gotham. It really made him ponder how impossible and probable possibilities seemed.

"You're staring." Richard mumbled, feeling uneasy under the blonde boy's rough gaze.

Jason quickly turned away. "Sorry, it's just hard to believe that this is happening to me."

Richard didn't say anything.

"You probably came up here to convince me that this family is great and being in it is an amazing opportunity. You're also going to tell me that Bruce is a great father, aren't you?" Jason retorted.

Richard shook his head. "No, I'm not. This family is fucked up and Bruce is a terrible father."

Jason frowned. "Seriously?"

Richard nodded. "Yup. When we're on television we act like a great big family with a tragic background but in reality we're just a tragic family. A tragic story. Bruce found me when I needed him, and I respect him for it. I look at him like my father but he doesn't fit the definition. No matter what though, I'll love him for what he did and what he does for me."

Jason nodded. "Why me? Why out of all the other boys in actual adoption centers?"

Richard shrugged. "Bruce has his reasons. They may not seem sensible or even clear, but he has reasons for them."

Jason shrugged and pulled his knees up. "I wish my mom was here to give me advice. She always gave the best advice."

Richard bit his lip. "What happened to them, if you don't mind me asking?"

Jason stared at the tree in front of them for a while. Fifteen silent minutes passed. "They died in a circus accident. They were acrobats performing a huge skit with an elephant. The elephant was drugged and suddenly went rouge. They were killed on impact." He answered silently. "I felt so much pain, but none was ever as bad as that."

Richard pondered this, maybe Bruce's decision was merely based on the idea of two boys without parents. He didn't know how to feel about this. Should he be offended that Bruce took in orphans, or should he be honored? Indecisiveness slithered its way down his spine. It was going to take some time to become accustomed to life with this new boy. But was he brave enough to shun him from the family? Maybe this was what Bruce wanted; someone similar enough to be a brother to Richard. Did he need a brother? No. Did he want one? No. Would he accept one? Yes.

Richard looked at the blonde boy and nodded. "I understand what that pain feels like. I can't assure you that you won't ever feel that pain of losing someone again, but I can promise you that you won't go through it alone with a family like ours." He stood up and left Jason to ponder his thoughts and make a decision.

* * *

"What do you want?" Raina asked the purple eyed seductress. Just seeing her face on the bathroom mirror sent shivers down her spine. She hoped their voices wouldn't wake Beast Boy.

"Is that anyway to talk to your mentor?" She smiled wickedly.

Raina rolled her eyes. "Don't make me choke, you killed my mentor. You'll never be as good as he was to me." Memories reflected like lightning behind her closed eyelids.

Arella chuckled. "You waste too much time thinking about the past. If you want to get ahead in this world you have to kill and connive to get a grasp around reality."

Raina was quite for a moment. She dropped her gaze and the sink suddenly became very interesting.

Arella noticed this and anger bubbled under her skin. "Raina, please tell me you've been carrying out the plan."

Raina nodded and looked at Arella. "I have, but I've been doing a lot of thinking lately."

"I hate that about you." Arella snapped. "Thinking is the worst thing you can do. It opens up your heart; I've been working so hard to make you tough."

Raina frowned. "Thinking doesn't mean I've lost my sense of reality Arella. It just means I'm becoming logical."

"Screw logic." Arella said quietly. "I asked you to do this personally, that doesn't mean adding personal feelings into the job. Remember what I taught you, no emotion no heartbreak."

Raina felt her insides twist. She knew that Arella always got her way. Raina was usually a heartless sorceress who complied with most of her clients requests. Something about Beast Boy made that different. Something about him made her heart warm. "I don't think we should do this anymore." She whispered.

Arella stared at her with a blank look on her face. Her purple eyes reflected dangerously at Raina. "What?" She whispered back.

"I don't think we should do this anymore. It's bad for everyone, especially Beast Boy. His mental health is declining. What he's doing is immoral." Raina said quickly.

"If I remember correctly, you've done worse things in your past. What the hell has gotten into you? I gave you this challenge because I knew you would be able to do it. What the hell bit you? Are you sick?" Arella accused.

Raina shook her head. "No."

Arella blinked once and the bathroom began to shake. A coldness found its way into Raina's throat and she began to suffocate. Her breathing was labored and Arella smiled. Raina vision became blurry and her face reddened, turning blue around her neck. Raina felt tears slip down her cheeks and she summoned her power to fight back. She had to in order to survive. She let her power flow from her finger tips but no matter how hard she tried she couldn't fight back. Arella was stronger; something she often forgot.

Arella chuckled. "I can kill you with a snap of my fingers. Don't you forget that."

The coldness suddenly seized and Raina sputtered loudly. The room stopped shaking and the picture frame in the bathroom shattered to the floor. Raina felt her legs go weak and she urged herself to keep standing. "You almost…killed…me!" She said in between gasps.

"You deserve it for being so weak!" She spat.

Raina wiped away her tears and clenched her fists. Her knuckles were white. "I'm not weak."

"You are." Arella said as she chuckled lightly. "That's why it was so easy to kill Luke, that's why it was so easy to kill Brandon." She smiled wickedly.

Raina shook with the thoughts of her memories. She felt her cheeks light up with rage and she shot her head up; her eyes met Arella's with unbridled anger. "Don't ever mention their names!" She yelled.

Arella smiled wider. "That's the Raina I know." Her purple eyes sparkled. "Complete the task I gave you. No matter how extensive, no matter how much you feel for the boy."

Raina sighed as Beast Boy came to mind. "There's no way out of this is there?"

"No."

"Very well. I will complete this task, in return for one thing." Raina asked.

"What?" Arella said as she rolled her eyes.

"When this is all over and done, at least allow me to apologize to him. At that last moment of deception please allow me to give him my explanation, the truth." Raina pleaded. If anything all she wanted was for him to gain closure, for him to know that this was the only way.

Arella was silent for a moment; she regarded Raina with cautious eyes. "I think I know what's going on."

Raina raised an eyebrow.

"You love him." Arella said in an almost whisper. Her eyed held intense sadness.

Raina's heart stopped and she took a breath. "What?" She whispered. The thought of her and Beast Boy together flashed through her mind and her blood began to race.

"I can see it written all over you face. You love him, you loved him since the moment you met him." Arella said quietly. She was far beyond the point of disappointment.

Raina shook her head slowly. "No, no. I could never love Beast Boy. I loved Brandon, and Luke."

"Love is like a disease, once you've had it once it stays with you and tries to find a host to feed off of." Arella shook her head slowly. "First my daughter then you. Is he that attractive?" She smirked then frowned. This messed up her plans, big time.

Raina couldn't find words to say. She was just realizing her true feelings for herself. She knew she felt a connection to Beast Boy, but did love ever cross her mind? No. Did love even make sense in this situation? No. When did it though?

Arella frowned. "This is going to interfere with my plans. I can feel it." She continued to stare at Raina. "If you mess this up, I'll kill you. If you admit your feelings for him, I'll kill you. If you even think about changing the outcome of this mission, I'll kill you." Raina stared at Arella and Arella sighed. "Do I make myself clear?"

Raina nodded her head and bit her lip.

"Deep down you're still the heartless person that I mentored you to be. Don't make me regret meeting you." She sneered.

Arella's face disappeared and as soon as it did Raina broke down into tears. She felt so guilty in that moment; she fell in love with someone else without thinking of the ones she lost. She backed up and allowed her back to hit the wall, she slid down while she chocked on sobs. She buried her head in her knees and sighed. She didn't know how long she was crying, but it didn't matter. By the time she heard the knocking she was all cried out.

The knocking was persistent and Raina already knew who it was. She stood up and wiped the dry saltiness the tears left behind off her face. She knew her eyes were red and her signature red lipstick was smeared but she didn't care. She cracked the door open and peeked out. Beast Boy was groggily rubbing his eyes.

"What?" Raina whispered.

"You've been in there a long time. Is everything okay?" He asked quietly as he tried to peer around her.

"Yeah, I was just trying some new spells." She lied, but she didn't want him to ever know what transpired between her and Arella.

He nodded then his eyes widened.

Arella felt her heart skip. "What now?"

"Your eyes are red." He said.

Raina felt her cheeks warm. "Why do you care?"

He ignored her question. "Is everything okay? Is something wrong?"

Raina stormed out of the bathroom and skirted around him. "I'm fine, don't worry about it."

"Well I'm going to worry about it." He said as he followed her to where she was standing in the room.

She had her back to him and her arms were crossed. "Why do you care?" she repeated.

"Because we're literally roommates now, and we're in this together." He said.

Raina sighed. "Got to bed Beast Boy."

"Not before you tell me what's wrong." He took a step closer and Raina could feel the tension spreading like venom through her body.

He watched her tense up and he felt oddly guilty. She sighed again. "We have a long day tomorrow."

"Tell me what's wrong." He insisted.

Raina turned around. "I said go to bed!" She shouted.

Beast Boy felt rage boil under his skin. She makes him do the unthinkable then dares to tell him what to do? No, not in this lifetime. "Tell me what the hell is going on! Damnit, don't leave me in the dark!" He shouted back, his voice dripped like acid and Raina jumped slightly.

She didn't expect him to yell at her. This startled her and she felt tears drip down her face. She smacked her hands onto her cheeks and cried into her hands. Her body rumbled with sobs and embarrassment encircled her.

Beast Boy felt terrible for making her cry. He didn't mean to take out his insecurities and anger out on her. This may be affecting him, but he had to remember that it was affecting her also. He pulled her into a hug and rested his chin on her head.

Raina tensed the moment his strong green arms touched her. His chin rested on her head and she held her breath for a brief moment. She pondered his actions, and asked herself what she should do. Hugging him would feel like a betrayal to Luke and Brandon. Is it right? She felt more tears slip down her cheeks and she nuzzled her face into Beast Boy's chest. This had to be right; she needed some sense of righteousness to drown out the impending guilt she would feel when this was all over. It was incredibly selfish to want him when she was literally tearing out his conscience and trust, but she needed him. Maybe Arella was right; deep down Raina was still the cold hearted sorceress. But it was Beast Boy who was thawing out the cold.

* * *

Thank you so much for reading! Don't worry this story is barely heating up yet! I can't wait for the chapter when I make your mouths drop. It probably still confusing now, but just wait!

PLEASE Follow, Favorite, and REVIEW REVIEW REVIEW REVIEW REVIEW REVIEW! PLEASE! It will let me know that some of you are still out there! **35 Reviews for an update. **

Next Chapter: Starfire makes a landing on Earth. Batman calls a meeting about the mysterious Sabot Bey. We learn more about Jason Todd, AND the Joker makes an appearance of a lifetime! You don't want to miss this!


End file.
